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Tow bar: replacement and selection

When and why a tow bar needs replacement

Operational lifetime of a tow bar is not specified by the manufacturer. Common defects of this part are: mechanical damages (dents, cracks), worn out holes for fasteners and deformation of the ball. In some cases the tow bar ball can be totally broken off.

Most often, overloading of a trailer is the cause of all defects mentioned above. Also breakdown of the tow bar may be caused by frequent operation of a car with trailer on rough roads.

Tow hitch defects can be indicated by knocks coming from it. Any visible defects of the ball, such as diameter decrease are also indicating necessity of component replacement.

It is recommended remove the old tow bar and install a new one at a service station, as it requires demounting of the bumper. When mounting a new tow bar its electric equipment should be connected in strict accordance with contact location diagram.

Installing a new component you can fit it with a special cap. This product will protect the part from corrosion. Before the first use the tow bar ball should be treated with a special grease, in order to reduce friction and thus avoid fast wear-out of the part. Treat contacts of the socket with liquid insulation aerosol to improve contact and prevent oxidation.

How to select a tow bar

These components can be steel or cast iron. Also tow bars differ in maximum towing weight. Manufacturers offer small (maximum trailer weight – 1500 kg), medium (up to 2500 kg) and large (up to 3500 kg) towbars for cars. Small tow bars are mostly used in passenger cars.

According to fastening types tow bars are divided into detachable and fixed. Detachable components can be installed on the car in two ways: with special locking devices or several bolts. As a rule, for transportation of heavy cargo, flange (fastened with bolts) towbars are used. Fixed components are attached to a car body by welding seams. These elements are difficult to demount and install, but they are considered more reliable.

In order to protect yourself and other road users from accidents related to defective towing devices, give preference to tow bars from well-known manufacturers. For example, reliable models are presented in the assortment of Bosal and Westfalia brands.

Take into account the brand, model and production year of your car when choosing a tow bar, as well as the weight of the trailer with a cargo you are about to transport. Moreover it is important to make sure that the part fastening type is suitable for your car. It should be able to withstand the loads the component is about to carry.

During selection you should also consider quality of the car part coating. It is recommended to prefer galvanized models or those with powder spray coating in order to avoid fast appearance of corrosion.